Fairtrade

Caffe Prima is one of the few Christchurch-based roasteries that are Fairtrade Certified™. This means that not only do we buy fair trade coffee, but we also actively support the association, because we believe that what they do is important (our Fair Trade FLO number is: 18245).

In addition to this, we package our Fairtrade certified organic coffee in compostable coffee bags (the films that make up these bags breakdown in composting conditions – for more information on how to dispose of them, visit here), so that our clients can enjoy coffee that is a product of sustainable and ethical business practice.

We believe in taking care of our people and our places.

Fair Trade Organic

Fair Trade is a social movement where importers from the developed world work in partnership with those producers who have been severely disadvantaged by current trade practices. Fair Trade is designed to aid workers in securing rights, to provide transparency in business practice and also to guarantee coffee farmers and workers a living wage and a higher than commodity price for the crops they cultivate.

It aims to work with marginalised producers and by creating opportunities for them, aspires to help them move towards economic self-sufficiency, thus creating a more balanced international trade practice.

Criteria and Monitoring

When a company offers Fair Trade Certified products, it means that inspectors have verified that farmers and producers are receiving a fair price for their products, and that workers are receiving fair pay. It also ensures that child labour is not being utilised in production and that the co-operative or farm is engaging in environmentally ethical practices.

Who Benefits?

Fair Trade is directed to provide the “best conditions for the producer” and to contribute to global conservation. Additionally, extra payments are made to the co-operatives, which are to be spent on local development initiatives. As commercially based coffee roasters co-import coffee with Trade Aid, it means that more beans can be bought within the Fair Trade system, thus promoting equitable trade.

What can I do?

You too can contribute by purchasing Fair Trade coffee, and consuming the “good stuff”! 10 million cups of Fair Trade coffee were consumed in New Zealand cafes last year, and we hope to increase this.

The Fair Trade certification model is designed and audited to ensure equitable trade practices at every level of the supply chain. To earn a license from Fair Trade USA to use the Fair Trade Certified™ label on their products, companies must buy from certified farms and organizations, pay Fair Trade prices and premiums and submit to a rigorous supply chain audits. This process entails a high level of transparency and traceability in their global supply chains. Today, our partner companies range from small, mission-driven coffee roasters to some of the largest transnational corporations in the world.